This invention relates to switching type poser converters and in particular to forward and flyback converters having a clamp-mode topology.
Self synchronized rectifiers refer to rectifiers using MOSFET rectifying devices having control terminals which are driven by voltages of the windings of the power transformer in order to provide the rectification of the output of the transformer. Use of synchronous rectifiers has been limited however by the inefficiency of these rectifiers in buck derived converter topologies. Efficiency is limited due to the nature of switching of buck derived converters (i.e. buck, buck-boost, boost converters including forward and flyback topologies and due to the variability of the transformer reset voltages in the forward type converters. This variability of reset voltage limits the conduction time of one of the MOSFET rectifiers, diminishing the effectiveness and efficiency of the rectifier. This is because the rectifying devices do not conduct for the full switching period and the gate drive energy of one of the rectifiers is dissipated.
A synchronous rectifier is combined with a clamped-mode buck derived power converter. In one illustrative embodiment a hybrid rectifier includes a MOSFET rectifying device active in a first cyclic interval of the conduction/nonconduction sequence of the power switch. A second rectifying device embodied in one illustrative embodiment as a low forward voltage drop bipolar diode rectifying device is active during an alternative interval to the first conduction/nonconduction interval The gate drive to the MOSFET device is maintained continuous at a constant level for substantially the all of the second interval by the clamping action of the clamping circuitry of the converter. This continuous drive enhances the efficiency of the rectifier.
The bipolar rectifier device may also embodied as a MOSFET device in a rectifier using two MOSFET devices. The subject rectifier may be used in both forward and flyback poser converters.